"This actually comes as a direct request from the Border Patrol agents and those people who are trying to protect not only the United States from illegals entering this country but also drug cartels and [trafficking]. So this was a common sense idea, not just a great idea from Donald Trump," said Sessions, chairman of the House Rules Committee.

The bill will reportedly fund about 28 miles of the barrier in key sections while beginning the design process for building the rest of the wall.

In comments a few weeks ago, Trump said 700 to 900 miles of fencing would need to be built to protect the 2,000-mile-long border.

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House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff of California said that "people have suffered enough" because of President Trump and that a real leader would re-open the part of the government that has been shuttered since December.